Have you ever been curious about what your pet is thinking or feeling? Have you ever tried to find out what he was trying to tell you? Do you sometimes wish your pet could speak with words? If you answered all of these questions with a “yes”, you may be looking for a way to understand your pet's communication and reciprocate the communication. Animals (including humans) use their bodies and vocal cords in a variety of ways to express their thoughts and feelings. Learning how to communicate with your pet will strengthen your bond and relationship with them.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Observing Pets
Step 1. Observe how your pet uses his eyes, ears and face
Animals will use different parts of their bodies to express feelings. Watching how an animal uses its body can let you know when it's feeling happy, sick, or even angry. For example, a horse's eyes can indicate that it is alert (wide open), sleepy (half open), or has a problem with one eye (the eye with the problem remains closed).
- Your dog will squint and look at you to indicate that he is feeling aggressive. He may also avoid making eye contact with you to show that he is obedient or to show his disdain for you.
- A cat's ears will point back if he is feeling anxious about something.
- Dogs and horses will widen their ears and point them slightly forward to show concentration.
- The dog will open its mouth slightly, without showing teeth, to indicate that it is comfortable but alert.
Step 2. Watch out for the animal showing its teeth:
most pets and other animals no showing their teeth to convey feelings of pleasure or happiness. Of course, humans might. On the other hand, other pets/animals show their teeth to get ready to fight, such as saying "Watch out! I can bite.", when feeling scared, threatened, angry, or excited when playing or having a serious fight!
Step 3. Look at how your pet uses its legs and tail (if any)
Just like the eyes, ears, and face, a pet's feet and tail can give an idea of how he or she is feeling. For example, a horse will wag its tail slowly to repel flies, but it will wag more quickly to show anger or irritation. As with horses, cats will also wag their tails quickly to show anger.
- When a dog raises its tail at or slightly lower than its body, it is showing that it is being friendly.
- Horses can use their legs to "buck" (a movement of kicking air with their hind legs) and show that they are cheerful. However, a “buck” movement can also indicate uncertainty.
Step 4. Pay attention to your pet's posture
Pets can also communicate through the way they position and move their bodies. For example, if your dog suddenly freezes and tenses up, he could indicate that he is unsure of something or may be preparing to attack. If the horse is walking stiffly, it may be stressed, nervous, or in pain.
- If you have a small pet, such as a guinea pig, you may notice that it gets agitated when it's upset or disturbed.
- If a cat is lying on its back, it may indicate two things: calm (usually followed by a purr) or anger (usually followed by a growl).
Method 2 of 3: Listening to Pet Sounds
Step 1. Listen to the sound of the horse
Horses can make a variety of sounds. Learning how to distinguish these sounds can help determine how your horse is feeling. Horses will neigh for a variety of reasons, including expressing their presence and showing anxiety. In addition to neighing, horses can also yelp when they meet other horses for the first time.
- Horses can also sigh which can indicate a sense of relief or calm.
- The foal's teeth will chatter if there is an older horse so the horse won't hurt it.
Step 2. Listen to the sound the cat makes
Meowing is the sound most cats make. It will meow for various reasons. For example, your cat will meow to greet you, indicate that he is hungry or thirsty, or let you know that he objected to what you were doing. If your cat starts to growl or hiss, it's best to leave him alone. His growls and hisses indicate that he is very angry about something.
- You will also hear your cat purr, which usually means he is feeling calm or happy. However, purring can also be a cat's way of calming itself down.
- Cats can howl when they are in trouble, such as when they are stuck somewhere. If he is an older cat and has dementia, he will make this sound when he is confused.
Step 3. Listen to the dog's voice
Common sounds dogs make are barks, growls, and howls. If your dog feels aggressive or territorial, his barking will be faster, louder, and more shrill. On the other hand, high-pitched barking can also indicate friendliness or cheerfulness and can be followed by barking or moaning.
- Growling is often a dog's way of letting you keep your distance. However, growling can also be a sign of comfort, just like a cat's purr. Read the dog's entire body language to determine what he's trying to convey with his growl.
- Dogs can make long, continuous howls if they feel lonely or suffer from separation anxiety. In addition, he can also howl more often if injured or sick.
Step 4. Identify the guinea pig's voice
Guinea pigs tend to be more "chatty". Your guinea pig will make high-pitched sounds such as squealing or whistling to show that he is impatient for something interesting (for example, mealtime or playtime). Such a shrill voice sounded like a “guik”. A guinea pig's snoring can convey a wide variety of emotions: joy (a deep, quiet purr), annoyance (a high-pitched snore), or fear (a short, anxious-sounding snore).
Your guinea pig will start squeaking to indicate aggressiveness or anger. Leave him alone if he starts to squeak while playing with you
Method 3 of 3: Communicating with Pets
Step 1. Chat with pets
Even if he doesn't really understand what you're saying, he can at least understand the tone of your words and your body language when you talk to him. For example, if you speak in a firm voice, he will feel that you don't like his behavior. Speaking in a commanding tone when giving directions will signal that he should follow your instructions.
- Talking to your pet can also help calm him down when he's feeling anxious or scared.
- It can also be helpful to verbally praise your pet as you train him.
Step 2. Use nonverbal communication with pets
Nonverbal communication is just as important as verbal communication. Nonverbal communication is often used in training to teach pets to do certain activities. For example, if you are sitting on a horse, you can use your legs and arms to direct the horse to turn with the front of its body. When teaching your dog to sit, you will usually combine verbal and nonverbal communication (signals from your hands) to give a "sit down" direction.
- Standing and walking away from your cat without saying anything is a way to let him know that you don't like his behavior.
- Be aware of nonverbal communication that pets don't like. For example, your dog may not want you to stroke his belly. If he growls or tries to walk away, leave him alone.
Step 3. Don't punish the pet
Punishing verbally or physically is not a good idea. Punishment can make your pet fear you and may reduce the trust and respect he has for you. In addition, some types of animals, such as cats, cannot relate punishment to the behavior for which it was punished.
Making unwanted behavior less attractive and making good behavior attractive is often successful in preventing a pet from misbehaving. For example, if a cat scratches your furniture, sticking a double tip on the furniture will make it less attractive for the cat to scratch. Sprinkling catnip leaves on the scratching post will make it more attractive to scratch
Tips
- Animals can communicate in too many ways to list in one article. Visit your nearest bookstore or pet store for book recommendations that provide in-depth information on animal communication and behavior.
- Communicating with pets should be a two-way street. He should understand your body language and voice just as you should understand his body language and voice.
- Learning to communicate with pets, or other animals, will take time. Do not rush.
- Talk to your veterinarian or animal behaviorist if you're not sure how to interpret your pet's communications.
Warning
- Don't try to approach a wild animal and try to communicate with it, especially if you're not familiar with its body language or voice.
- If your pet hisses, growls, or tries to scratch you, it's best to leave him alone.
